Welcome to my blog. HIV prevalence is not a reliable indicator of sexual behavior because the virus is also transmitted through unsafe healthcare, unsafe cosmetic practices and various traditional practices. This is why many HIV interventions, most of which concentrate entirely on sexual behavior, have been so unsuccessful.

The president of Uganda (number 96, hybrid regime), Yoweri Museveni, says he is going to kill the anti-homosexuality bill that has been doing the rounds for several years now. It's not exactly comforting to hear that someone who has held power for 25 years can decide whether bills should live or die. But now that so much hatred has been stirred up, one could question the president's ability to reverse all the damage that has been done. Not that thinking he has special powers distinguishes him from many senior political and religious leaders. But apparently Museveni believes that what happens in private is private. However, he feels it "should be illegal to induce children into sexual activity" of any kind, though that hardly distinguishes him either.

So perhaps the president and the church have more in common when it comes to the subordinate role of women. An estimated 100 Ugandan women a week die giving birth. Activists are demanding that this be recognized as a violation of women's rights. But it is not just trained health personnel, adequate facilities, supplies and equipment that are lacking. There is also said to be a lack of compassion for the women and babies who die, and even for the families involved. It is pointed out that there appears to be little commitment, as there is a lot of money available for fighter jets, military hardware and other things that should not take priority over health.

So what about the efficacy of condoms or 'safe sex' in general? What about the wisdom of knowing your HIV status and behaving accordingly? What about being honest and open, or even being cautious and private where that's more appropriate? What about the individual responsibility of both parties having consensual sex, where one happens to be HIV positive? Aside from appearing a lot more compassionate than issuing pink triangles to be sewen on to jackets, how much confidence should we have in antiretroviral programs that appear to drive a wedge between those who are 'contaminated' and those who need to be 'protected'? Are HIV policies inadvertently undermining human rights, or is everything actually going to plan?